Turmeric (Turmeric, Curcuma longa L.) is a foodstuff that has been widely used as a natural food additive or a spice. Various foods and beverages containing turmeric are available in the marketplace. It has recently been reported that turmeric has an antioxidant effect, an antiinflammatory effect, and an anticarcinogenic effect, and turmeric has been attracting attention as a functional natural material. Turmeric comprises curcumin as a yellow main component, and research on its bioactivity is being conducted.
However, because turmeric has a peculiar flavor, many people tend to avoid consuming it.
Therefore, there is a tendency for people to widely use curcumin, i.e., the yellow main component described above, rather than a turmeric extract. Maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, trehalose and the like have been used as masking agents for turmeric (Patent Literature 1); however, these masking agents still have room for improvement in their flavor masking effects.